Mendelssohn composed his Octet for strings at the age of 16, and it was first played in his parents' house.
Composition History
The scherzo of Mendelssohn's Octet was inspired by the final verses of the 'Walpurgis night's dream' from the first part of Goethe's 'Faust'.
Performer Biography
The Auryn Quartet, named after an amulet from Michael Ende's 'The Neverending Story,' has been a leading string quartet for nineteen years.
Compositional Technique
With his Octet, Mendelssohn founded a new genre of string chamber music, creating a model for later composers like Niels Gade and Joachim Raff.
Performer Biography
The Minguet Quartet, formed in 1988, received artistic inspiration from studies with the LaSalle Quartet, Amadeus Quartet, Melos Quartet, and Alban Berg Quartet.
Composer Biography
Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, the composer, was referred to as the 'Mozart of the 19th century' by Robert Schumann due to his precocity as a composer.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Mendelssohn intended his Octet to be played 'in the style of a symphonic orchestral work,' with pianos and fortes emphasized more strongly than usual for chamber music.
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Mendelssohn: String Quartet No. 1 in E-Flat Major & Octet in E-Flat Major
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